Initially, everyone thought this was just an ordinary mission.
However, after half a month, not a single proposal passed Bai Luan's review.
Yet, they couldn't utter a word about Bai Luan deliberately making things difficult for them.
Because after Bai Luan received their proposals, his rejections were very short, sometimes just a single sentence, but it was enough to leave them speechless.
When they sent their revised proposals to Bai Luan again, he would silence them with another single sentence.
Both their proposals and Bai Luan's rejections were public, and everyone could view them.
Over the course of half a month, they made revisions again and again, but no team ever managed to pass Bai Luan's review.
As time gradually dwindled, the atmosphere at Herta Space Station changed again, from its initial competitive spirit to one of painful high pressure.
A chance to realize their ideals?
No one was fantasizing about that anymore; now, they had begun to pray that their proposal would just pass.
Time continued to flow, and more than half a month passed, yet still no team's proposal had passed the review.
Facing the current situation where no team had passed, Bai Luan was completely unperturbed.
He wasn't deliberately making things difficult for these people; their proposals genuinely had problems.
If they were to contain the Curios in their proposed ways, problems would arise sooner or later.
Moreover, Bai Luan had already anticipated this kind of situation.
Curios, after all, are magical items that ordinary people rarely encounter; this might be the first time these researchers had seen a Curio.
Lack of experience coupled with arrogance would naturally lead to this situation.
Based on Bai Luan's scoring of these researchers, only the teams led by two individuals would likely have their proposals pass.
Those were Stark and Conrad.
However, these two had not submitted a single proposal from the beginning until now, and he wondered what they were thinking.
Never mind, even if no one passes in the end, he won't be the one anxious.
The main purpose of this activity was to give these researchers a slap, to wake them from the dream called 'I am a genius' and face reality.
The current situation had basically achieved the desired effect; most people's confidence had already shattered.
Bai Luan didn't even specifically look for projects to make things difficult for them; he just made them do their future daily work, and they performed like this.
He truly couldn't imagine what they would do with other high-difficulty tasks; it was simply unthinkable.
No wonder Herta lost interest in Herta Space Station not long after it was launched.
The people here truly lacked the value to keep Herta around for long.
After this, he could enjoy another period of slacking off.
This time, no one should dare to speak loudly to him.
Just then, Bai Luan's phone vibrated twice.
Who submitted a proposal again? Or were they submitted together?
He opened his phone, entered the group chat, and scanned it.
Stark and Conrad sent their proposals one after another.
Seeing these two names, a faint smile appeared on Bai Luan's face.
Then he scanned the team members – all seasoned veterans.
They finally arrived, this combination of old rookies.
Bai Luan then opened their proposals.
Budget planning, no problem.
Risk assessment, no problem.
Feasibility, no problem.
After a thorough check, Bai Luan couldn't find any fault with their proposals.
Very good, his fallback had finally arrived.
After reviewing low-scoring papers for a month, he finally received papers that were at least passing.
It seemed they had been diligently refining their proposals for more than half a month.
These two teams were currently the last hope for the Space Station; they successfully prevented this activity from being a complete failure.
Bai Luan: Stark's team and Conrad's team proposals have passed, currently tied for first place.
As soon as this message was sent, it immediately caused a huge stir at Herta Space Station.
He estimated that many people were already running to them to ask for advice.
This was exactly what Bai Luan wanted.
Realizing you are a mess is the first step to progress; the second step is to force them to humbly seek guidance.
It was like the old saying, 'If you're bad, practice more!'
Under the high pressure of potentially being fired, people's learning potential is very high.
And this way, these old rookies could also teach these new researchers, and he wouldn't have to bother guiding them anymore.
This way, it both solved the issue of alleged Station Master dereliction of duty, made these researchers recognize themselves, and placed the responsibility of teaching new recruits on the old rookies.
Regardless of others for now, Bai Luan was definitely winning big.
Time continued to flow, and in the blink of an eye, only seven days remained of the one-month deadline.
After Stark and Conrad's proposals passed, a total of three more teams had their proposals approved, achieving epic progress.
Those who passed breathed a sigh of relief, while those who hadn't were anxious, seeking advice everywhere.
Over the next seven days, with each passing day, the atmosphere at the Space Station became more oppressive.
Among them, the most miserable were those arrogant individuals who had chosen the most difficult Curios to contain as the subject of their proposals.
Whether to grit their teeth and continue or switch Curios, neither was a good choice.
Stuck in this painful predicament without a way out, even though they had tried their best, their proposals consistently failed to pass.
They literally wore masks of suffering to work every day.
Bai Luan now took a walk every day to observe this human purgatory.
After being tormented by this incident, not to mention the old rookies, even the new researchers looked at Bai Luan with a hint of awe and fear.
This casual acting Station Master was indeed as strict and demanding as the old researchers had said.
Honestly, when Bai Luan received this evaluation, although he had somewhat anticipated it, it was still a bit hard to bear when it actually reached his ears.
Bai Luan couldn't help but smile when he imagined them reminiscing about him after he left and Herta officially took over Herta Space Station, truly putting them through the wringer.
'You have no idea how easy Station Master Bai made things for us! Come back, our acting Station Master, my proudest faith…'
As he thought about it, the corners of Bai Luan's mouth couldn't stop curling upwards.
Seven days passed in a flash.
By the end of the deadline, a total of thirteen proposals had passed Bai Luan's review.
The document contained over forty Curios, and they had managed to contain less than half.
With such limited ability, they dared to talk about ideals in front of him, saying they came to the Space Station to dedicate themselves to scientific research?
Now you know how ridiculous you were, don't you?
However, Bai Luan had a very good temper, so he wouldn't hold it against them too much; this so-called dismissal was just to scare them.
Thirteen proposals, and the total number of people in those teams wasn't many.
He had worked so hard to get Herta Space Station up and running; he couldn't possibly fire everyone, could he?
Bai Luan opened the group chat.
Bai Luan: As of the deadline, a total of thirteen proposals have passed the review, far below expectations.
Bai Luan: The objective for this project was set too hastily by me, without considering the actual situation of Herta Space Station.
Bai Luan: This is my dereliction of duty as Station Master, and I will upload a self-assessment report shortly.
Bai Luan: As for the dismissal penalty, since this situation was caused by my negligence, the penalty is canceled, the rewards remain unchanged, and I alone will take responsibility.
Bai Luan: I extend my most sincere apologies to all colleagues at Herta Space Station.
After sending his self-criticism, Bai Luan quietly waited in his office for public opinion to ferment.
Bai Luan's statement was ostensibly a self-reflection, but in reality, it was a slap in the face to others.
Those idealists who came to him before the projects began, talking at length about their ideals, must be quite mortified after reading this statement, right?
Of course, if there truly was some divine person who believed Bai Luan was genuinely self-reflecting, then he wished him smooth sailing at this Space Station.
The next day, a letter of resignation was delivered to Bai Luan's office.
Bai Luan glanced at the signature, didn't even look at the contents of the letter, and threw it away directly.
Then he took out the list he had previously noted down and crossed out a name from it.
In the remaining days, resignation letters continuously arrived, and more and more names were crossed off Bai Luan's list.
Bai Luan didn't read the content of the letters.
Bai Luan didn't care in the slightest whether these departing individuals were disheartened, resentful, or had come to terms with reality.
He only knew that those who couldn't endure this would not be able to stay at Herta Space Station for long; leaving early was better for everyone.
The wave of resignations lasted for about four days, and by the end, only a very small portion of people remained on Bai Luan's list, still at Herta Space Station.
These people were the ones who had been screened.
Enduring humiliation and moving forward.
They had first achieved endurance.
Congratulations, you have taken the first step to becoming an old rookie.
Next, he needed to find a way to make them move forward.